Clutch mechanism.



B. M. W. HANSON.

CLUTCH MECHNISM.

APPLlcATloM FILED 3.25, 1914.

Patented May 18 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l mmm B. M. .W. HANSON,

CLUTCH MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED APR.25, I9I4.

1.914926@ I Patented May 18, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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- narran enanas raranr carica..

BENGT M. W. HANSON, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR T0 PRATT 6c WHITNEY COMPANY, 0E HABaTFORD, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF NEW'ERSEY'.

cnu'rcn MECHANISM.

Original application filed April 7, 1910, Serial No. 553,965. Divided and this application led JApril 25, 1914. 4Serial No. 834,324.

T0 all whom 'it may vconcern :v Be itknoWn-that I, BENGT M. W. HAN- soN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and' State of Connecticut, have invented new and useful Improvements in Clutch Mechanism, of which the following isa s'pecific'ation.

'The object of this' invention is to provide improved clutch mechanism which will loperate smoothly, without cramping or side strain upon. itself or its associated mechamsm, and witha m1n1mum of frictional re-.

si'stance. 1

rlhe invention is herein shown to Vbe embodied in double-acting' clutch mechanism, working in both directions, although obviously it is equally' applicable to a single clutch device.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a front ele vation in section taken through the longitudinal center of the clutch mechanism.

Fig. 2 is an. end elevation projected from Fig. l, in sectiontaken on theline 2-2 of that figure. Fig; 3 4is a front viewin enlarged scale projected from Fiv 4, of the left hand half of the Heating co ar shown in --Fig 4. Fig. 4 is a sidevelevation projecting from Fig. 3 showing the'collar partly in sec-' key 254 are the friction disk 265, Sleeves 266 and 267, the collars 268 and-269 and the distance orlling piecev 270. The collars 268 and 269 ,are preferably hardened and form abutments for the thrust of the oppo-` sitely'disposed clutch fingers 271, which are mounted upon` ivots 289 in longitudinal. slots in the clutc sleeve 272, and -provldedwith inwardly extending projections acting somewhat like' large ear teeth between and against the sides of t e 'collars'268 and 269. The clutch sleeve 272 isl splined for sliding movement upon the sleeves 266 and 267, and

has upon its opposite endsI the friction disks 273 and 274. Une of the driving-members, herein shown as a worm. gear 275, .driven by the worm 256, rotates constantly between the two friction disks Y265 and. 2.73, being preferably mounted on the hub Aof disk 265, a collar 276 or equivalent means being l'employed to prevent endwise movement'of the worm gear toward the disk 27 3, so that when the disk is drawn away from driving engagement with the gear, the latter will not follow the disk. Another driving member, herein shown as a friction disk 278, for driving the disk 274, is mounted to turn loosely upon the shaft 253, and has keyed to it the worm gear 277, which is driven constantly by the worm 25.5. The friction disk 278is prevented from endwise movement in one direction by the sleeve'26'7 and inthe' other direction by a suitable collar 279, and washer 280 on the shaft253-/v By the rocking movement of the clutch lingers 271 toward the right the lsleeve 272 is moved endwise in the same direction, so as to grip-'the lgear 275 between the disks 265 and 27 3, and when the fingers arel rocked in the opposite -direction the disk 274 is moved into frictional contact with the drivingdisk 278 as Ashown in Fig. 1. The thrust ofthe clutch 'l fingers is taken by. one or the other ofthe collars 268 and 269, which inturnaresup ported by the sleeves intervening between those collars and the shoulders 281 and 282. This rocking movement of the clutch-lingers Patented May is, isis.

is imparted b collars 283 and 284, which are shown in etail in Figs; 3 and 4, and are loosely secured to the sidesof theplutcli col lar 285, which is grooved to receive suitableA slices 286'carried by the clutch yoke 287,

which is pivotally mounted upon the stud 288 supported by the bed or frame.

The collars 283 and 284, as shown in Figs.v y,

3 and 4, areeach made in two halves, .which are adjustably secured together by' screws 290, and each half is loosely attached tothep side of the lclutch collar 285 by. 1neans"of ggf .2.

guiding pins 291. andscrews 292,'soz-fthat each collar instead' voffibei n,f.'held in exact concentric relationztoggthei clutch .collar 285 andthe shaft 253, isfree float with.

the clutch lingers slightly out of their 'central position, to accommodate4 v'arlatlonsy that in practice are .liable to occur leither initially or as a result `of Wear, in the clutch fingers or their connections.- 'This provi@ sion enables the collars' 283 and284 as they are pushed endwise by the clutch-'collar 285 to` distributeits pressure equally upon the; ends ofthe clutch ylingers 1, thus dlstrlbuting the strains equally, avoiding cramping action, and conducing to smooth and balanced movement of the parts during thepart of the adjuster.. Thus'a suitable gripping vfriction for the disk 273 is obtained lby adjusting the collar 283, and for the disk 274 by ,adjusting the collar 284. This adjustment of the collars is effected by drawing their two halves together by means of the screws 290, checking them at their-set position in any convenient wa The ioating collars are preferably flattened at 293 for receiying the ends of the fingers 271, thus providing for good working contact and aiding to maintain .the collars in proper regisY rection of adjustment of those collars coincident with the direction of the swinging movement of the'fingers. The clutch yoke 287 is shown to be provided .with an arm 295, which may be operated at the required times, and in the required direction either.

or at the same speed. Ordinary spur gear-` ing may obviously be employed instead of worm gearing, and these may be the driven members, employing the shaft 253 as the driving member, without otherwiseA chang- 5p ing the mechanism herein described. Any suitable means, such as a gear 252 may be employed for transmitting rotaryV movements to or from the shaft 253. I claimv as my invention 1. The combination, in clutch mechanism, of a plurality of clutch operating fingers, and means for operating the said fingers v'with equal pressure, including an unyielding unitary floating member appurtenant to the finger operating means.

2. The combination, in clutch mechanism, of a plurality of clutchf operating'fingers, means` for operating the said lingers, including an unyielding unitary floating member loosely appurtenant to the operating-means,

ter with the rings, and also keeping the dif l and engaging with the ngers to .equalizethe operating pressure between the lsaid fingers.

3. The combination, in clutch mechanism, l of a plurality of clutch operating .ngers, means for operating theV said ngerS, including a floating member loosel appurtenant to the .operating means, 'an engaging with the said fingers to equalize the pressure upon the fingers, and means for adjusting the said floating member to varyits pres.- sure on the fingers. v

4. The combinatiom'v in clutch mechanism, of a plurality of'clutch operatingl fingers and means for operating the fingers, .in- 80 cluding a loosely connectedfloating member engagingwith the ngers to equalize the pressure thereon, and means for adjusting the finger engaging portionsof the said floating member toward and from each other to vary the pressure on the fingers.

.5. The combination,- in clutch mechanism, of oppositely disposedclutch operating fin-. gers', and meansfor operating the said fingers, ineludinga loosely connected floating memberl having oppositely disposed portions engaging with the fingers, and means for adjusting the said engaging portions ofthe floating member towardA4 and from each other to vary vthe pressure upon the ngers. 6. The combination, in clutch mechanism,

of a plurality of' clutch operating fingers,

and means for operating the said lingers with Tequal pressure, including an lannular ngerengaging member loosely. appurte- 10'0 nant to the operating means.. 7. The combination, in clutch mechanislm, of a plurality of clutch operating fingers,

means. for operating the said fingers with equal pressure, including an annular flange 'v engaglng member loosely appurtenant tothe operating means, and means for adjusting the finger engaging portions' of the said annular member toward and from each other to vary the operating pressure upon the fin-l gers.

8. The combination, in clutch mechanism,

. O'f OPPOStely disposed clutch operating iin" gers,l means for' operatin `the said fingers-4 with equal pressure, incluing a ring loosely 11.6 appurtenant to the clutch operating meaifls,v and means for contracting and expanding lthe said rin to vary the operating Apressure on the said ers. v

9. The combination, in clutch mechanism, of oppositely disposedclutch operating fingers, and means for operating the said fingers with equal pressure, including a two part ring loosely appurtenant to the operating means.

10. The combination, in clutch mechanism, of `a plurality of clutch operating fingers,I and means for operating the said fingers with equal pressure upon, each, including a clutch collar and an annular ring loosely lappurtenant to the said collar, and bearing against the said fingers.

11'. The combinat1on,in clutch mechanism, of a plurality of'clutch operating lingers, and means for voperating the said fingers with equal pressure upon each, including a clutch collar and an annular ring loosely appurtenant to the said collar, and bearing.

against the saidvingers, and means for contracting and expanding the said ring to increase and diminish the pressure upon the iingers.

l2. The combination, in clutch mechanism,

of oppositely disposed clutch operating iingers, means for operating the said fingers withequal pressureupon each, including -a clutch collar and. a two-part ring loosely appurtenant' to the collar With the tw'o parts bearing against the respective rings, and means for adjusting'the said twov parts of the ring toward and from each other to increase and diminishtheir operating 'pressure upon the .fingers 13. The combination, in clutchfmechanism, of oppositely disposed clutch operating fingers, means for operating the saidvingers with equal pressure, including a clutch collar, a two-part ring loosely appurtenant to April, 1914.

the collar and engagin fwithtjthe fingers, means for maintaining t e two parts of the ring in engaging relation to the flngers, and

including a sliding clutch collar, a two part ring loosely appurtenant to each side of the-collar, each ring engaging with the oppositely disposed fingers of`the pair of 1evers, and means for independently. adjustingv the two parts of each ring toward and from'each other to vary their pressure von the respective pairs of fingers.

testimony whereof l have 'signed my a 'Y vname to this specitication in the presence of two subscribing witnesses this 21st day' of 'BENGT M. W.' SUN.

`Witnesses:

KATHRYN T. GONNELL, @Anonimi M. .BREoKLn .sitely disposed fingers, Iand means for opervatingthe said levers in opposite directions, 

